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Thursday, January 20, 2011

Cream Puffs, Yay! That is the response I received from my children when I informed them what was for snack yesterday. These lovely little gems are so good with no filling or topping at all. I swear I can eat the whole tray. But adding the whipped cream just puts it over the top. Growing up my mom always liked Eclairs which is basically a cream puff shaped long instead of round with chocolate frosting on top. They were a super special treat to her. I was reflecting back on this fact and thought, ya know, lets try that old reliable cream puff recipe with my favorite Gluten Free flour blend. I am very pleased at how they turned out. They puffed and they created the hollow middle. They behaved exactly like the wheat versions did way back when. The recipe is the exact same, I just replaced the flour. They are supposed to firm up so they will hold up with filling. I personally like them fresh from the oven and soft, eggy bread tasting with powder sugar top! Yum! If you do not prefer them eggy, I suggest leaving out an egg.

Start adding the eggs, one at at time. The first egg will take longer than usual to fully incorporate.

Continue adding the eggs, one at at time until each one is fully incorporated before adding the next. Finished batter will be smooth and thick.

Use your cookie scoop or tablespoon and place 12 mounds of batter on your baking sheet.

Bake 15 minutes and then reduce your oven temperature to 350 and continue to bake for 15 to 20 more minutes.

Remove from oven and immediately put a tiny slit in the side so your puffs do not get soggy or deflate.

Allow to completely cool.

I am inserting my pastry bag with the long thin tip filled with whipped cream or pudding into that slit I made and filling the middles. Top with real melted chocolate or slightly melted frosting. Go ahead and use the whipped cream from the spray can if you desire. Or take your already made snack pack pudding and add to a sandwich bag with the corner snipped off.

For whipped cream:
In a large mixing bowl place the whipping cream, vanilla extract, and sugar and stir to combine. Cover and chill the bowl and whisk in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. When chilled, whip the mixture until soft peaks form.